HISD superintendent speaks on school closure proposal

Houston ISD's superintendent spoke for the first time since the district announced the planned closures of five schools. Dr. Terry Grier told parents, teachers and community leaders Wednesday that HISD has never been better. But not everyone agrees with that. Phil Archer reports.

RIGHT NOW HE HAS NO BOND. REPORTING FROM DOWNTOWN, MARK BOYLE, KPRC LOCAL 2. TONIGHT, WE'RE HEARING FROM HISD SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT THE DISTRICT'S DECISION TO CLOSE FIVE SCHOOLS. LOCAL 2'S PHIL ARCHER WAS AT TODAY'S STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS AND IS JOINING US LIVE IN SOUTHEAST HOUSTON WHERE ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS IS SET TO CLOSE. EARLIER TODAY, THE SUPERINTENDENT TOLD A BIG CROWD AT THE HOTEL AMERICAS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER. NOW, OF COURSE, NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH THAT. AMONG THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, ONE PROTESTOR, ANGRY ABOUT THE DISTRICT'S PLAN, TO CLOSE FIVE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR. GREER SAYS HISD IS HAVING WHAT MAY BE ITS BEST YEAR EVER. OUR GRADUATION RATES ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. OUR DROPOUT RATE IS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW. THE DISTRICT ALSO GARNERED TWO MULTIMILLION DOLLAR GRANTS. GREER SAYS OPERATING THE SCHOOLS ARE THREE TIMES AS EXPENSIVE. WHEN YOU HAVE 2,200 STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE ZONE AND GET -- YET ONLY 450 CHOOSE TO GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS. HE WAS CONFRONTED WITH A MAN WHO HAS LED PROTESTS OUTSIDE GREER'S HOUSE RECENTLY. THAT PUT ALL OF THE RESOURCES, WHEN THEY CLOSED THE SCHOOLS, IN OTHER SCHOOLS. IF YOU DON'T PUT THE PROGRAMS, RESOURCES IN THE SCHOOLS, YOU STARVE THEM OUT AND THEN YOU USE THEM AS AN EXCUSE, FOR LOW ENROLLMENT, IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL, SELL THE REAL ESTATE OR REPURPOSE IT. GREER CONTENDS THAT'S NOT TRUE AND THERE IS DATA TO PROVE IT. THE SCHOOL BOARD THE SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE CLOSURES NEXT MONTH. THEY HAVE SCHEDULED A MEETING EARLY TOMORROW, 7:30 A.M., FOR A WORKSHOP ON CLOSING THOSE SCHOOLS. IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. PARENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO

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